I-League 2023-24 to be played in home-and-away double round-robin format

The format for the I-League 2023-24 season was decided by the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) League Committee in a meeting on Friday. The I-League 2023-24 will be organised with 13 participating clubs (subject to fulfilment of Club Licensing process) on a home-and-away double round-robin basis for a total of 156 matches in the season.Each club will play 24 matches. The club finishing at the top of the table at the end of the league will be declared I-League 2023-24 champions and will be eligible for promotion to the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 provided they fulfill the Club Licensing criteria.Last season's champions Punjab FC have already been promoted to the ISL. The two relegated sides from the 2022-23 I-League season - Mumbai Kenkre FC and Sudeva Delhi FC - have been replaced by Delhi FC and Shillong Lajong FC, the top two sides from the 2022-23 Second Division League.Inter Kashi and Namdhari FC have been admitted into the I-League as corporate entries.Foreign players quotaI-League clubs can only register five foreigners in their squads, with a maximum of three allowed on the pitch at a time for the 2023-24 season. There will no longer be any AFC player quota requirements.